About the Star Ratings

Who does it?

VisitEngland, VisitScotland, Visit Wales, Northern Ireland Tourist Board and the AA carry out Quality Assessment in Britain. They all use the same extremely rigourous criteria and make reliable and impartial assessments.

How is accommodation graded?

The 1-5 star rating system covers all kinds of accommodation from campsites, to B&Bs to city-centre hotels, all offering different levels of facilities and services. For this reason, specific types of accommodation need to be assessed in a different way. For example, a hotel would need to offer room service to achieve a 3-star rating, but this would not be a requirement for a B&B.

If an establishment offers the facilities required at a certain level, it must also achieve the quality score. For all accommodation types, the number of stars gives you an indication of the general quality of the furnishings, decor and ambiance. The more stars awarded - the higher the level of quality. The assessors stay overnight as a 'mystery guest' in all B&Bs and hotels to give them an opportunity to test aspects of the guest experience such as the welcome, the comfort of the bed, the food and the cleanliness.

Remember to check the classification – 4-star guest accommodation cannot be compared to a 4-star hotel. Different criteria apply.

Star Ratings

National assessing bodies for England, Wales and Scotland assess accommodation to the same criteria and award 1 to 5 stars reflecting the facilities and overall quality.

For full details about quality assessments in Britain, click on the country you are visiting:

• England
• Scotland
• Wales

However, the additional award schemes do differ between England, Wales and Scotland. For further information see 'About The Award Schemes'.

Information courtesy of Visit England, Visit Scotland and Visit Wales.